The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-10-01

Claim Jumping in the Palmy Days Of
Nevada Mining.
st. Louis Globe Democrat.

st. Louis Globe e-Democrat.
"You people in st. Louis" said
an old '49er. "knOw nothing of what
a mining boom really is. Here the
people are greatly excited if mine
advances 100 per cent. in value dur.
ing a month or two, but during the
palmy days Of Nevada mining such
changes were matters of daily Oc-
currence, and occasiOned no excite
ment at all. If a man struck ore
anywhere in a good locality he
could sell out for a good price
within twenty-four hours, and with
out the long negotiations which are
the custom here. But if he deter
mined to retain the property he
had to defend it with rifle and re-
volver, as he could expect no as
sistance from the officers of the law.
81 was in Phoebe during 1871 and
1872, and certainly such a lawless
community was never seen before.
"A few days after my arrival in that
camp l witnessed an instance of
the way matters were carried on.
Two American miners had uncov-
cred rich vein of silver and were
taking out rich ore by the wagon
load. One morning, on going to
work, they found their claim occu-
pied by a dozen foreigners, who re-
fused to give up possession, and
threatened the owners with instant
death if they were in any way in
terferred with. An appeal to the
law was greeted with scornful
laughter, and the miners saw them
selves about to be deprived of the
fruits of their honest toll. When
they were about to give up in de-
spair all attempts to recover their
property from the hands of the law
less robbers, help from an unex-
pected quarter arrived.
ONE OF THE ARGONAUTs,
"Jack Kendrick, a man univer-
sally respected and feared on ac-
count of his uprightness and deter
mination, stepped up to them and
said that if they would give him a
one-third interest in the mine he
would drive off the robbers. These
terms were at once agreed to, and
without a moments delay Kendrick
sprang to the mouth of the tunnel
and ordered those within to give up
possession at once. Throwing down
their tools and drawing their re-
volvers, the whole band came charg-
ing out, with the intention of ami
hilating the man who presumed to
interfere with them.
"Kendrick had taken his meas
ures well. As soon as he spoke he
sprang to the top of the bank at
the mouth of the tunnel, and, when
the claim jumpers appeared, opened
fire on them with his Henry rifle.
Seven were shot down before they
fairly cleared the tunnel, and the
remaining five, terrified at the fate
Of their comrades, made for town
at top speed, with Kendrick in hot
pursuit, and before they found
shelter three more fell before his
deadly rifle. This wholesale slaugh-
ter struck terror into the lawless
element, and about put an end to
the high handed outrages which
had previously been of almost daily
occurrence. Kendrick is now one
of the most highly respected citi'
zens of Silver City, N. NJ.
LUCRATIVE PRACTICE.
"One very lucrative industry was
pursued by a number of alleged
miners, which for a year or two
Yielded them a handsome income
Whenever these gentry learned that
a trade was about to be cOnsummat
ed they would come forward and SCI
up a claim to the property in ques
ton. No one wished to buy mine
and lawsuit together, and the
seller was obliged to purchase tho
pretended claim in order to com
plete his sale.
This was carried on for some
time, until the miners determined
to put a stop to it. In one day
several of these bogus claimants
were taken out Of Virginia City
and hanged, and the vigilance com
mittee gave notice that any ON
who in future set up a false CLAIM
to a mine would meet like fate
This stopped all attempts of thi
nature, and by 1878 the reign o
fraud and violence was about at al
end. Since that time the mine
have been comparatively quiet, bu
none who lived there during tn
early days will ever forget the wild
lawlessness that prevailed"
The French Giving Up Smoking.